As a manager, the chances are that you’ve heard all about the importance of making your business a greener place. In many ways, this is a new trend, and even you have to admit that it’s a good one. The more companies which do their bit for the environment, the better chance we have of making a change.

But, let’s be honest; few of us have the time or energy to pursue eco-friendly options. We’re busy people. We don’t all have time for things like paperless offices and recycling systems for their own sakes. Of course, we all want to help our planet, but you might not have time to change entire business processes for the goal.

The good news is, there may be more incentive than our environment for some of these changes. Each one can make its own difference on your business at the same time. That could be the push you need to jump on the green bandwagon. It would certainly make it more worth your while to consider changing at least a few things. All you need to do is keep on reading to find out about the green options which could benefit your business in more ways than one.

Going paperless
If you work in an office environment, the chances are that you’ve had it up here with the idea of the paperless office. Every business blog or article seems to mention this concept at least once nowadays. And, in fairness, cutting back on paper use has undeniable environmental benefits. If every office in the biggest cities went this way, we could cut back on deforestation dramatically. The flip side of that being that you would need to shake everything up to achieve this goal. You would need to reconsider every filing process and security measure you have in place. So, you might have put this off until now. But, what if we were to tell you that going paperless could also save you a fortune over time? Admittedly, there is a lot of work involved right now, but it’s more than worth your business while. By cutting back on paper and stationery, you can take a considerable chunk out of your monthly budget. Instead, you would be able to pay one set fee for a cloud filing system and a security program. Never again would you need to rush out and buy staples, or clear petty cash to get more notepads. If the environment isn’t temptation enough, then, your business accounts should be.

Finding alternative energy sourcesMany companies are also now opting to find alternative energy sources. In some industries, this means turning to independent power providers. For others, it means turning to options like solar energy or other more ethical choices. Yet, many business owners don’t make this move because they assume it’ll cost them a lot of money. They want to do their bit, but not if it means leaving their business bankrupt. But, guess what? There’s no reason that needs to happen. In reality, alternative energy sources like these can actually save a company money. Installation of things like solar panels can get pricey, but it pays for itself. Independent power can also go a massive way to reducing monthly energy costs. But, that’s not the benefit we’re going to focus on. Instead, we’re going to point out that alternatives like these can be your ideal business safety net. Issues such as power shortages are one of the main problems companies face in the aftermath of storms or other extreme weathers. With your alternative energy, though, there’s no risk of ever having to go without power. Instead, you’ll be able to keep working come literal hell or high water. When every other company on the block has to shut up shop, that can lead to no end of customer satisfaction. And, that alone is worth going alternative for.

Use green cleaners
While a less common workplace standard as it stands, green cleaners are also coming to the fore. These are free from the harmful chemicals which damage our environment. Given that keeping any workplace clean is essential for health and safety, a switch here could go a long way towards reducing toxic chemicals. But, did you ever consider that this move could also help the health of your employees? As a manager, that should always be on your mind. The safer your employees feel at work, the better they’ll perform. Not to mention that optimal health can help to reduce sick days. Employees working in a confined space where heavy cleaning chemicals are used could experience adverse effects. When that office gets cleaned every night, those effects could be severe. Employees may soon start to develop coughs or worsening asthma symptoms as a result. None of which will happen if you go green here. Eco-friendly cleaning alternatives get the job done with none of that harsh stuff. If you can’t do it for the environment, then, do it for your employees.

Get fundraising
It’s also now not unusual for businesses to do a fair bit of fundraising in their local communities. Depending on where that fundraising goes, this can also be a green move. Donating to environmental agencies, for example, can be a significant step towards green. Of course, fundraising also takes time and a lot of energy to arrange. If you can’t quite bring yourself to face the task, consider that this can also work wonders for your reputation. As soon as customers see that you do your bit to give back, they’ll peg you as a company which is worth their time. Before you know it, even small donations on your part could see a whole lot more profit coming your way. You shouldn’t give to receive, of course, but in business, it never hurts to get something back!

With these two-fold benefits on offer, it would be madness not to give these changes at least a go. The environment and your business would thank you for it.